Late!
by Elaina Daae
Summary: Anna is late for work at Cafe Mew Mew; so Ryou and her get in a fight. Zakuro, sick of their arguments, plays Mew Mew psychiatrist with unexpected results.(One-shot) (Complete)


Disclaimer: I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew

Author's note: This fic takes place about three years before the epilogue of 'The Rabbit Mew.' You don't have to read that first, but it's recommended.

Late!

Anna ran into Café Mew Mew 10 minutes after her shift started. It wasn't her fault; her teacher had kept her after school to talk to her about something. Luckily, she already had her waitress uniform on.

A customer walked into Café Mew Mew. Anna was a bit bouncy today. "Welcome to Café Mew Mew, may I show you to a table?" Anna asked hyperly.

"Sure…" The customer said warily.

"OK!" Anna said. She tilted her head back. "Minto! What table isn't in use right now?" She had become really good friends with all of the Mews in the past year, but she liked Zakuro, Retasu, and Minto the best, in that order.

"Table 7!" Minto called back.

"OK. Follow me." The bouncy usagi girl said to the customer. The customer followed Anna to a table. "What would you like to order?" She asked. The customer told her. She walked over to Keiichiro and gave him the notepad she had written the order on. She was avoiding Ryou.

"It'll be done in a few minutes." Keiichiro informed her.

"It's a good thing Keiichiro's the best cook we've got, na no da!" Purin said while performing on another countertop.

"He's the only cook we've got." Zakuro said as she walked by.

"She has a good point." Anna said, then turned to Minto. "Minto, get off your ass and do some work!" She was only half-kidding.

"But it's time for my afternoon tea!" Minto protested. Anna rolled her eyes.

"Anna! The order is ready!" Keiichiro called. Anna walked over and took the tray from Keiichiro. She ignored Ryou as she walked by him this time.

"Arigato." The customer said. She finished eating, and left.

"Anna," Ryou started, walking towards the usagi Mew. Anna looked at him. "You were late." He said.

"And your point is?..."

"You are to stay after your shift and clean the floors." Ryou said.

"Why should I?" Anna was already thinking of a way to sneak out after her shift. Recently, she had discovered that she didn't have to be in her henshin form to jump really high.

"Because you were late."

"It wasn't my fault!"

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow.

"My teacher kept me after school!"

"Uh-huh." Ryou didn't believe her. "You still have to stay and clean the floors."

"Oh my gosh! You're such a jerk!" She shrieked. 'And I've long since decided I don't have to listen to you.' She added silently.

"Zakuro SPEAR!" Zakuro shouted. She was sick of the two of them bickering.

Ryou went into the back room to avoid the attack, while Anna leapt out of the way.

"Zakuro onee-sama! What was that for?" Anna whined.

"I'm sick of the two of you fighting. Shirogane, get your ass back out here and work out your unresolved…" She searched for the word. "Issues, without screaming at each other!"

"Zakuro onee-sama! You make it sound like we're lovers!" Anna said.

"Oh, please. Don't flatter yourself." Ryou said.

"I'm not the one who said it!" Anna protested.

"OK, since you won't cooperate… How did this argument start?"

Anna crossed her arms over her chest. She would _not_ be interrogated.

"Anna was late." Ryou stated.

"By how many minutes?"

Ryou shrugged.

"10, na no da!" Purin piped up.

"Why?" Zakuro, the Mew Mew psychiatrist, asked.

"Because of her teacher." Minto said.

"Shirogane, her reason is valid. Why are you punishing her?"

"Feh…" Ryou mumbled, avoiding Zakuro's gaze.

Anna smirked. "Feeling guilty, jerk?" She asked.

Zakuro smacked herself in the forehead. "And back to square one…" She muttered.

"Why would _I_ feel guilty? You were the one who was late!"

"Do we _have_ to start over again?"

"Apparently." Retasu said.

"Can you guys stop fighting for 10 minutes? That's all I ask so we can sort this out!" Zakuro snapped.

Ryou shut his mouth. Anna turned her back to them.

"OK, why is she being punished?"

"Because she was late. We've been through this." Ryou said.

"How many minutes was she late by? I'm starting this discussion over."

"10 minutes." Retasu said moodily.

"Why?"

"Because of her teacher." Ichigo said quietly.

"So I don't see the point in punishing her." Zakuro said pointedly.

"Fine. She doesn't have to clean the floor. But I still want to talk to her." Ryou said, giving in.

"Anna? Is that all right?" Zakuro asked her friend.

"Fine." Anna grumbled.

Soon after that, the Mew Mews were able to go home. Keiichiro, knowing why Ryou wanted to talk to Anna, disappeared into the back of the café.

Anna sat on one of the tables with her arms crossed. Ryou walked over to her, tilted her chin up to face him, and kissed her full on the lips. "That's all I wanted. You can go now." He said.

Later that night, Peppermint teleported into Anna's room.

Anna knew this wouldn't be easy. "Peppermint, I have to break up with you." Anna said.

"Why?"

"Because I love Ryou…" Anna said reluctantly.

"Oh. So I should have listened to Pai from the start, is that it?" Peppermint asked.

Anna sighed. "You know what? Just go!" She yelled.

Peppermint glared at her. "Gladly. Goodbye, Anna." He teleported back to his ship.

Anna sighed again. She ran a hand through her hair. "Wow. He took that harder than I expected."

She flopped down on her bed. She had resolved all of the issues of that day.

END.


End file.
